Sports

Russell Wilson Says He Still Feels at Home in Denver Despite Payton’s Decision

By Hetal Moleshri

Russell Wilson’s departure from the Denver Broncos in 2024 was not a friendly exit, yet his affection for the team remains unchanged. After head coach Sean Payton benched him, Wilson left the franchise. Now back in Denver as a CBS Sports analyst, Wilson expressed support for his former team. “I feel like I’m back home baby, a little bit,” he said on CBS Sports. “I got kicked out of here a little bit, but I still feel like it’s home.” Wilson joined CBS Sports’ The NFL Today as an analyst in June. His comments reveal a complicated relationship with the Broncos. Wilson arrived in Denver in 2022 in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks, expected to lead the team to a Super Bowl. The first season ended 5‑12, with inconsistent offense. Things improved when Payton became head coach in 2023, but the partnership ended when Payton benched Wilson for the final two games and released him in March 2024. Wilson’s contract carried a $37 million injury guarantee for 2025 that would have become fully guaranteed, so Denver moved on before that happened, leaving the team with a significant dead‑cap charge. Wilson’s next stops were Pittsburgh in 2024 and New York in 2025, where rookie Jaxson Dart eventually passed him on the depth chart. The disagreement resurfaced publicly in October 2025 when Payton commented on rookie quarterback Dart after Denver’s game against New York. Wilson responded on social media, calling Payton “classless.” That exchange sparked further discussion about the coach and former quarterback’s relationship. In 2024, the Broncos selected Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the NFL draft, hoping he would bring stability and consistency. When Wilson returned to Denver for Week 8, he praised Nix’s plays and the progress of the team’s offense. “Denver Broncos were struggling on offense, but my guy Bo Nix stepped up in a big way, and listen, he got some explosive play, a 62‑yard touchdown,” Wilson remarked while holding up two footballs, one with a Chiefs sticker and the other with a Broncos sticker. “So I gotta go this, I’m riding with the Denver Broncos. Let’s ride!” He then spoke to Payton directly, saying, “You may like me, you may not, but I’m picking you.” Wilson chose his old team over the Kansas City Chiefs despite his history with Payton. He played 30 games across 2022 and 2023, throwing for 6,594 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Wilson may have been pushed out, but he still appreciates the city, supports the team’s progress, and praises its quarterback. His time in Denver did not bring the success he hoped for, and his relationship with Payton made his departure bitter.